The Flower Kings: A Kingdom of Colours

A Kingdom of Colours (2017)

Here we are: at the end. The Flower Kings played their last shows in 2015 and, while it's never impossible, a return seems unlikely. Roine Stolt certainly hasn't shown any interest in reviving the band – although he hasn't shut the idea down. A career-spanning solo tour might be in the works as soon as The Sea Within's tour ends, which should be interesting. Jonas Reingold has moved from Sweden to Austria, but he and Roine still collaborate frequently. Hasse Fröberg is happily fronting his own band. Tomas Bodin, meanwhile, has developed a rather severe case of tinnitus that left him unable to perform. As long as he doesn't recover (and it goes without saying that I really hope he does, regarldless of whether TFK will re-unite) it seems unlikely that we'll be hearing more from The Flower Kings any time soon.

The Flower Kings, Chapter 8: Adam & Eve

8) Adam & Eve (2004)

There's no man in the mirror, just me… and I hate what I see!

So, I've either kicked off a trend or the time is right for The Flower Kings (probably the latter), because I see more people talking about TFK's back catalog all around the progosphere. That's great! Now that the second chapter of the Kingdom of Colours box set has been announced, the time could not better to examine the album that kicks it off.

The Flower Kings: Meet The Flower Kings

Meet The Flower Kings (2003)

Like the album, the tour promoting Unfold The Future was a highly ambitious affair. The band elected to build the set around three monumentally long tracks: “The Truth Will Set You Free”, “Garden of Dreams” and “Stardust We Are”, each played (almost) in their entirety. Those three alone provide nearly two hours of material, but the band would also play additional songs each night that would switch around from show to show.

The Flower Kings, Chapter 7: Unfold The Future

 7) Unfold The Future (2002)

Now so much wiser, so much more in tune...

After the triumph of Space Revolver, an album that won the band many new fans including yours truly, The Rainmaker was a disappointment to many. Had the band's unforgiving one-album-a-year approach taken its toll? Were The Flower Kings already on their way out?

Niels' Top 10 Albums of 2017 - Number 3

3. Pain of Salvation – In The Passing Light Of Day